Free Lecture — From Air and Space to the Railroad and Beyond: An Evening With Brig. Gen. James A. McDivittAudience: All Educators and 9-Higher Education Students
Event Date: June 26, 2014, at 8 p.m. EDT

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 7 to the International Space Station

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, announce an authentic science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, opportunity for school districts across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The newest flight opportunity, Mission 7 to the International Space Station, or ISS, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low Earth orbit on the International Space Station. This opportunity is part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP.

Each participating community will receive a real microgravity research mini-laboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment, and all launch services to fly the mini-lab to the space station in spring 2015 and return it to Earth. An experiment design competition in each community — engaging typically 300+ students — allows student teams to design and propose real experiments vying for their community’s reserved mini-lab. Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design. Additional SSEP programming leverages the experiment design competition to engage the community, embracing a learning community model for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education.

This competition is open to students in grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups and organizations are also encouraged to participate. Interested communities must inquire about the program no later than May 30, 2014. The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education is available to help interested communities in the U.S. secure the needed funding.

SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a national laboratory. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (http://www.iss-casis.org/) is a national partner on SSEP. To view a list of all SSEP national partners, visit http://ssep.ncesse.org/national-partners/.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email SSEP National Program Director Jeff Goldstein at jeffgoldstein@ncesse.org.

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium, or VSGC, is offering renewable scholarships to sophomore undergraduate students studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. The STEM Bridge Scholarships are $1,000 and are available to students who are U.S. citizens from any federally recognized minority group enrolled fulltime at one of the five VSGC member universities: The College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

The STEM Bridge Program bridges students to future opportunities by mentoring and guiding them to future VSGC scholarships and NASA-related paid internships. The program encourages students to explore how their majors can apply to NASA’s Mission.

This is a competitive program, and awards are based on student academic merit, quality of interest essay as well as letters of recommendation from current college faculty who can attest to students’ interest in STEM areas.

The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to May 30, 2014.

NASA’s Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of educator workshops for astronomy and space science educators.

These workshops provide participants with experiences needed to create effective and productive active-learning classroom environments. Workshop leaders model best practices in implementing many different classroom-tested instructional strategies. But more importantly, workshop participants will gain first-hand experience implementing these proven strategies. During many microteaching events, you will have the opportunity to role-play the parts of student and instructor. You will assess and critique each other’s implementation in real time as part of a supportive learning community. You will have the opportunity to use unfamiliar teaching techniques in collaboration with mentors before using them with your students. CAE is funded through NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Exoplanet Exploration Program.

The NASA History Program Office is seeking undergraduate and graduate students for fall 2014 internships. The History Program Office maintains archival materials to answer research questions from NASA personnel, journalists, scholars, students at all levels and others from around the world. The division also edits and publishes several books and monographs each year. It maintains a large number of websites on NASA history.

Students of all majors are welcome to apply. While detailed prior knowledge of the aeronautics and space fields is not necessary, a keen interest and some basic familiarity with these topics are needed. Strong research, writing and editing skills are essential. Experience with social media is a plus.

Intern projects are flexible. Typical projects include handling a variety of information requests, writing posts for the NASA history twitter and Facebook pages, editing historical manuscripts, doing research and writing biographical sketches, and identifying and captioning photos.

The Solar System Exploration Pre-Service Teacher Institute is a free workshop for future middle school science teachers and the educators who mentor them. Presented by the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and the Lunar Planetary Institute, the workshop will take place in Houston, Texas.

Workshop participants will explore questions relating to the nature of science and how scientists conduct their work. Planetary scientists will be available to discuss their research and recent discoveries. Hands-on activities will be demonstrated, and participants will discover ways to connect solar system topics to Earth science, life science and physical science. A tour of the lunar rock laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center is also planned.

The workshop will take place June 23-27, 2014. Registration is free, and lunches are included. Participants will receive a certificate for professional development hours.

Applications are now being accepted for 2015 NASA Aeronautics Scholarships. The program awards scholarships focused on aeronautical research and related degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate sponsors the program.

Undergraduate students with at least two years of study remaining will receive up to $15,000 per year for two years and the opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend by interning at a NASA research center during the summer. Graduate students receive up to $46,000 per year for up to three years, with an opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend interning at a NASA research center for up to two consecutive summers. Applicants must be citizens or nationals of the United States.

Due to the One Stop Shopping Initiative maintenance, the scholarship application deadline has been extended to June 2, 2014.

Applications should be submitted through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative at https://intern.nasa.gov/. Applicants should be sure to select “scholarships” for the type of application.

The NASA Office of Education is accepting applications for NASA Scholars. The NASA Scholarship is a competitive opportunity that focuses on students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines, to address the critical shortage of qualified STEM professionals that the nation is facing.

Eligible students include rising freshman (high school graduating seniors or GED recipients not yet enrolled in college), sophomores and juniors, at the undergraduate level, who will complete their undergraduate degree in spring 2016 or later and community college students with at least two years remaining at the community college.

The scholarship includes up to a $9,000 academic scholarship, not to exceed 75 percent of verified tuition, and a $6,000 stipend for a 10-week internship at a NASA center during summer 2015. The internship provides scholars with a unique NASA research experience and preparation for global competitiveness.

Due to the One Stop Shopping Initiative maintenance, the scholarship application deadline has been extended to June 2, 2014.

Applications should be submitted through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative at https://intern.nasa.gov. Applicants should be sure to select “scholarships” for the type of application.NASA Office of Education scholarships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another U.S. government scholarship or funding, irrespective of the scholar’s status.

NASA’s Office of Education is accepting applications for Minority University Research and Education Program Scholars. The MUREP Scholarship is a competitive opportunity that focuses on underserved and underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines, to address the critical shortage of qualified STEM professionals that the nation is facing.

Eligible students include rising freshman (high school graduating seniors or GED recipients not yet enrolled in college), sophomores and juniors, at the undergraduate level, who will complete their undergraduate degree in spring 2016 or later and Minority Serving Institution community college students with at least two years remaining at the community college.

The goal is to address the agency’s mission-specific workforce needs and target areas of national need in minority STEM representation. The scholarship includes up to a $9,000 academic scholarship, not to exceed 75 percent of verified tuition, and a $6,000 stipend for a required 10-week internship at a NASA center during summer 2015. The internship provides scholars with a unique NASA research experience and preparation for global competitiveness.

Due to the One Stop Shopping Initiative maintenance, the scholarship application deadline has been extended to June 2, 2014.

Applications should be submitted through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative at https://intern.nasa.gov/. Applicants should be sure to select “scholarships” for the type of application.

MUREP scholarships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another U.S. government scholarship or funding, irrespective of the scholar’s status.

______________________________________________________________________________Rockets to Racecars Educator Professional Development Opportunity at Kentucky Speedway

Get your students revved up about science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, with the NASA Rockets to Racecars STEM Education program’s special NICE Go Green Edition/The Heat is ON! Educators of grades 4-12 are encouraged to sign up today to attend one of the scheduled 75-minute virtual sessions outlined below. Attendees will be invited to show off their newly acquired skills alongside NASA educators during race days at Kentucky Speedway June 26-28, 2014.

Drag Race to Mars
Event Date: June 3, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. EDT
Learn about an activity that bridges science and mathematics by challenging students to design a capsule to land on Mars.

Teacher Program at Kentucky Speedway
Event Date: June 4, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Learn about an activity that challenges students to design an efficient solar oven and discover how solar energy is currently used to power a NASCAR track.

Measure Up and Calculate
Event Date: June 9, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Learn about an activity that teaches students about tire technology and the effects of air pressure by comparing and contrasting a section of tire from the space shuttle, a light truck and a bicycle.

May the Force Uplift You…Or NotEvent Date: June 11, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Explore Bernoulli’s Principle by applying mathematics to interpret air pressure and airflow data on objects such as an airplane’s wing or a race car’s spoiler.

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute, or NSBRI, is accepting fellowship applications for the First Award Program. The two-year fellowships are available in any U.S. laboratory carrying out space-related biomedical or biotechnological research.

Applicants are required to submit proposals with the support of a mentor and an institution, and all proposals will be evaluated by a peer-review panel. Selected applicants receive a stipend, allowance for health insurance and travel funds for related scientific meetings. Also, an optional, competitive third year of fellowship support is available.

This year’s applicants can also request to be considered to spend part of the fellowship in Russia, via a program involving NSBRI and the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.

NSBRI, funded by NASA, is a consortia of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing the medical technologies needed for long missions. The Institute’s science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States.

Call for Abstracts: 30th American Society for Gravitational and Space Research Conference

A call for abstracts has been released for the 30th annual American Society for Gravitational and Space Research, or ASGSR, conference and the 28th Symposium on Gravity-Related Phenomena in Space Exploration. The meeting will take place Oct. 23-26, 2014, at The Westin Pasadena in California.

Abstracts must be submitted electronically no later than June 15, 2014, using the abstract submittal form and instructions posted on the ASGSR website. All submitted abstracts will be peer reviewed by the conference organizing committee.

All accepted abstracts from students will be presented as posters or orally in competitions. The student poster competition will be judged by society members, and monetary awards will be given during the banquet scheduled for Oct. 25, 2014. Student competition winners will be encouraged to submit an extended abstract or a communication article to the ASGSR journal “Gravitational and Space Research.” All students are expected to coordinate with their advisors when submitting an abstract for the conference.

Student travel assistance of up to $500 is available on a limited basis. Students requesting consideration for travel assistance should check the box on the abstract submittal form.

Free Lecture — From Skylab to Interplanetary Space Weather: The Next Frontier

Before the Space Age, protecting ourselves meant looking after our resources on Earth. Now it includes our assets in space. Powerful solar storms have the potential to cripple our modern-day, high-tech society. Satellites bind us all together through communications and GPS. Deep space probes that collect and transmit images and data are now exploring the solar system, far beyond Earth’s protective magnetosphere.

On June 18, 2014, Madhulika (Lika) Guhathakurta, program scientist at NASA Headquarters, will discuss how the study of space weather is vital to the continued success of missions in space and to ensure minimal disruption to our lives here on Earth.

The lecture begins at 8 p.m. EDT at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, District of Columbia. Come early to see a free film and to meet the lecturer. The lecture will be webcast live.

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Fall 2014 Policy Internship Program

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, or OSTP, is seeking students for fall 2014 internships. The OSTP advises the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The office serves as a source of scientific and technological analyses and judgment for the president with respect to major policies, plans and programs of the federal government

Policy internships are open to interested students from all majors and programs, including law school programs. Law students (and any other students) who are interested in policy may apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are enrolled, at least half-time, in an accredited college or university during the period of volunteer service. Students in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in all fields are encouraged to apply.

While these positions are without compensation, the assignments provide educational enrichment, practical work experience and networking opportunities with other individuals in the science and technology policy arena.

Free Lecture — From Air and Space to the Railroad and Beyond: An Evening With Brig. Gen. James A. McDivitt

On June 26, 2014, former astronaut James A. McDivitt takes the podium to reflect on the various stages of his careers from the 1950s to the present. McDivitt was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and logged over 5,000 flight hours before being selected as an astronaut in 1962. He flew a Gemini mission and commanded Apollo 9. Upon leaving NASA in 1972, McDivitt began another career in the energy, railroad and aerospace industries.

The lecture begins at 8 p.m. EDT at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, District of Columbia. The lecture will be webcast live.

Time is running out to have your students’ names flown aboard Orion during its first flight! NASA’s Exploration Design Challenge, or EDC, invites students around the world to think and act like scientists to overcome one of the major hurdles of deep space long-duration exploration — the dangers associated with space radiation. Students taking part in the challenge will discover how to plan and design improved radiation shielding aboard the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, currently being developed by NASA, Lockheed Martin and other partners to carry astronauts to space, venturing farther than humans have ever gone. Through a series of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, engagement activities, students in grades K-12 will analyze different materials that simulate space radiation shielding and recommend materials that best block radiation and protect astronauts.

The names of all students participating in the NASA EDC will fly aboard the spacecraft as honorary virtual crew members for Orion’s first flight. The deadline to register students for the virtual crew is June 30, 2014.

NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences Office and the International Space Station Program Office are seeking hypothesis-driven research concept papers that use the International Space Station as a microgravity platform in the space life and physical sciences disciplines.

Concept papers should describe ground-based research that can be enhanced by flying in a microgravity environment on the space station. Concept papers selected will have the opportunity to submit a full flight proposal based on the merit of the research presented. NASA anticipates selecting 10 submissions to receive monetary awards. Selected awardees will be invited to submit full proposals on their research, which may result in one flight opportunity for student researchers.

Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows from all categories of U.S. institutions who have never conducted or been involved in space research are eligible to submit papers. Student research and scientists from EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) jurisdiction institutions are specifically encouraged to participate.

Free Lecture — Exploring Pluto and Its Satellites at the Solar System’s Frontier

NASA’s New Horizons mission launched in 2006 and is approaching the Pluto system. It is the first mission to an outer planet since Voyager in 1989. On July 16, 2014, New Horizons team leader Alan Stern, Pluto scientist William McKinnon and science writer Dava Sobel will discuss the program’s goals for exploring the Pluto system next year and its place in the history of exploration.

The lecture begins at 8 p.m. EDT at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, District of Columbia.

The Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2014 will take place this fall, offering U. S. high school students the opportunity to design experiments that will be tested in space.

Zero Robotics challenges high school student teams to write their own algorithms to fly the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. The competition starts online where teams compete to solve an annual challenge guided by mentors. Students can create, edit, share, save, simulate and submit code from a Web browser. After several phases of virtual competition, finalists will be selected to compete in a live championship aboard the International Space Station.

Registration for the competition closes on Sept. 5, 2014. The competition begins with a live webcast kickoff event from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Sept. 6, 2014.

Zero Robotics is organized by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Space Systems Laboratory, Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation and TopCoder, and is sponsored by The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, NASA and the Center for Advancement of Science in Space.